1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sink handle valve for use in a water faucet and is particularly usable with a minimum of manual force required to open and close the valve. The spindle operative to the faucet device is supported by a polytetraflouroethylene ring disposed upon a seat bearing. In one embodiment a spindle is rotated without the application of direct force upon the spindle, which floats, while positioning the flow of water, between an assemblage of ball bearings on the top and the friction reducing seat bearing on the bottom. Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment the valve opens by a slide handle which actuates the spindle by use of a cam and pin structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various sink faucet handle valves are discussed below.
A valve is disclosed in Freeman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,912,217 wherein a stem is inserted into a seat bed. Freeman does not provide a friction reducing means for repeated movements of the stem nor the capability to position the stem without the application of direct pressure.
A faucet valve is taught in Hare, U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,902. Hare discloses a valve wherein an 0-ring is used to improve the sealing of the valve. The Hare invention provides a valve member rotatable within a sleeve.
Mongerson, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,720 discloses a mixing faucet. In the Mongerson device, two input supplies mix two sources of fluids, while a valve is sealed by use of an 0-ring. Mongerson discloses no means to rotate the valve without application of direct pressure.
Foster, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,067, discloses a faucet valve using 0-rings as seals, as well as the use of resilient strip-like means to maintain seals upon the walls of the valve. Foster does not disclose the indirect application of force upon a member, nor does it disclose the floating effect of a spindle between bearings and a friction reducing seat.
Farrell, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,455 discloses a valve structure which equalizes input fluid pressures by use of a conical spring.
A valve assembly is taught by Scaramucci in U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,179. The Scaramucci valve has a positioning means having a seat for a seal.
Thorp, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,728, disclosed a faucet valve, having 0-rings as seals.
A faucet valve and dispenser as taught by Hicks is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,289. Hicks teaches a valve assembly having a rotable stem and seals disposed upon the sides of the stem, encircling the stem.
Edelman, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,392, disclosed a valve wherein the stem is positioned upon a spring.
Moen, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,735, disclosed another valve structure in which the seal is isolated from the path of the flow to prevent excessive fluid flow pressures upon the seal. In this invention, the seal encircles the circular valve stem member.
Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,762 by Koch, another valve is disclosed. In the Koch patent, the stem is encircled by sealing rings. A seat ring is provided in combination with a spring to insure sealing. A ball is also provided within the valve to engage the seat valve.
There are in the prior art various valves in which O-rings are provided to encircle stem members for sealing purposes. However, none of the prior art devices fulfills a long felt need for a spindle member to rotate upon the surface of an 0-ring, as opposed to being positioned between the inner surfaces of the 0-ring. Furthermore, none of the prior art devices disclose a cam and pin structure to cause the spindle to rotate without the direct application of force upon the spindle.
This long felt need is derived from the fact that faucet valves require constant rotation to allow the flow and restriction of flow of fluids. Consequently, the fluid pressure charges cause undue force upon the stem members each time the valve is actuated. Also, the direct application of force tends to increase the chances of breakage of the stem members and other moving parts.
Often the application of circular, enclosing seals about a stem increases tension upon the stem. A need is present to provide a valve with seals which will minimize the horizontal, inward pressure of seals upon a stem member. The ability to rotate a stem spindle during the operation of a valve with the minimum of direct force and with the minimum of friction upon the moving parts of the spindle provides a significant operational benefit.
The ability to rotate a spindle wit h the minimum of friction and the minimum of force allows a valve to operate under constant changing fluid pressure condition, with the maximum efficiency.